Jackson Hole and Yellowstone

In Dave's search for a medical conference to fulfill his CME credits he came across one in Jackson Hole WY.  He was all over this. He has only been to Yellowstone once before and it was winter, and he spent much of his spare time while deployed (yes that long ago!) planning a trip to this area.  This was the perfect conference too.  Only meetings in the a.m. three days, so it left us lots of time to play and explore.  Plus we tacked on a few more days so we would would have time to venture up to Yellowstone.  

It was about an eight hour drive, but we broke it up bunch.  And the kids did terrific.

This stop was only about an hour out, and makes me laugh out loud.

We stopped at Dinosaur National Monument for lunch.  This summer as we have traveled national parks and monuments a ton the kids have been working on getting their junior ranger badges everywhere we go.  They worked feverishly and while we were here for about an hour and half and all completed it.  Jacob was especially excited as he was now four and old enough to earn one. 

 The kids got creative on the long drive and discovered a new game called taking pictures with moms camera in the car...they are some of my favorites.  Not sure what the foot/knee fetish is about though.   

We spent one very long full day in Yellowstone, it was amazing to introduce this place to the kids.   Amanda was the most enamored.  But they all were amazed.

 We saw a ton in one day.  Old faithful, lots of hotpots, mud pots, paint pots, geysers, elk, waterfalls, cool rocks, and we ate dinner over looking Yellowstone lake.  

Our favorite part of the day was after lunch. We hopped on our bikes for a bike hike to lone star geyser.  It only goes off once every three or so hours.  And we caught the tail end of it by pure luck (everyone except Spencer and I as we had stopped for a potty break).  It was a beautiful ride, next to a river and it was great to escape the crowds.  

The other days we spent in Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park, hiking, biking, swimming in lakes and warm springs, looking for animals, riding alpine slides, playing mini golf, watching shoot outs in town square, eating lots of ice cream, window shopping, and of course working on getting more junior ranger badges. 

 

This has to be one of my favorite pictures from the whole trip, he is one cute kid.  I love that he agreed to at least one shot, as he hid in all the rest.

 We were very spoiled to get to see lots of wildlife, a bear (from a very safe distance), elk, deer,  bison, a bald eagle (as we biked along the snake one day it soared over our heads several times), and this very cool moose that put on quite a show eating for us along the banks of the river across from us.

The kids loved playing in these warm springs, and as the terrible cold I had been fighting all week had caught up to me, it was a great way to spend the last afternoon.  They caught tiny fish for hours (there was even gold fish in here, ha ha). 

 

I can definitely say we will be back for more another time, as this trip only wet our appetite.